This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of the Hydrangeaceae family. The botanical name of the plant is Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) ‘BCHY-11.026’.
The new cultivar originated as a seedling from a controlled cross between the unpatented variety known as ‘8.1’ which was the seed parent and the variety ‘BC8.3’ which was the pollen parent. The pollen parent, ‘BC8.3’, is the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,507, filed Apr. 8, 2013, and issued May 5, 2015. The parent ‘8.1’ has attractive inflorescences but a growth habit that is not suitable for commercial production of ornamental potted plants. The plant ‘BC8.3’ has compact, attractive inflorescences with relatively large sepalous florets that surround and almost hide all of the non-sepalous florets in the center of the panicle, attractive sepal pigmentation, and stems that branch easily and are relatively strong.
The new variety ‘BCHY-11.026’ has relatively large sepalous florets, non-uniform sepal pigmentation at maturity and good commercial characteristics. ‘BCHY-11.026’ has compact, attractive inflorescences with relatively large sepalous florets that surround the non-sepalous florets in the center of the panicle. The color of the sepals changes as the plant ages. Below is a table comparing the new variety to similar varieties, including the variety ‘BCHY-11.033’ which is the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,407 and resulted from the same cross. The present variety ‘BCHY-11.026’ differs from patented variety ‘BCHY-11.033’ in that non-sepalous florets of the inflorescence of ‘BCHY-11.033’ are almost hidden by the sepalous florets, while the non-sepalous florets of the present variety ‘BCHY-11.026’ are not hidden by the surrounding sepalous florets. Also the inflorescence of the present variety ‘BCHY-11.026’ is smaller than the inflorescence of ‘BCHY-11.033’. The inflorescence of ‘BCHY-11.026’ is 7″ in diameter and 3″ high, while the inflorescence of ‘BCHY-11.033’ is 9″ in diameter and 4″ high.
TABLE 1Commercialvariety ‘Venedig’U.S.U.S.U.S.which mayPlant New Plant Plant be U.S.Pat. No.VarietyPat. No.Pat. No.Plant Pat. No.26,407‘BCHY-23,75725,50710,928‘BCHY-11.026’‘BC6.1’‘BC8.3’‘Venice Raven’11.033’Leaf 8 cm 12 cm 10 cm × 1611 cm wide ×9.5 cm sizewide ×wide ×cm15.5 cm long -wide ×10 cm 15 cm source U.S.12.5 cm longlongPlant Pat. longNo. 10,928Plant 13″ in 15″ in 15″ in 6″ pot12″ in 6″ pot -13″ in height4.5″ pot.6″ pot.observed 6″ potcontrols grown alongside ‘BC6.1’.Stem StrongStems areStems areStrong -Strongstrengthstrong butrelativelyobserved benefit strong.controls grown from being alongsidestaked‘BC6.1’.SepalBoth Upper side Upper side Upper side ofBoth Pigmen-sides ofof sepals of sepals issepals is R.H.S.sides tationsepals is R.H.S. R.H.S. 73A84 A (violetof are 86 A (red - purplegroup). Undersepals R.H.S. (violet group) inside of sepals are 68 C.group); center, andis R.H.S. 85 AR.H.S.(red -Under side margins of(violet group)68 C. purpleof sepals sepals areobserved (red -group).is R.H.S. R.H.S. 56 Acontrols grown purple 88 D (red group).alongside group)(violet ‘BC6.1’.group)Sepalous 70 mm70 mm50 mm to 70 mm -70 mmFloret60 mmobserved Size -controls grown Diameteralongside ‘BC6.1’.
The new cultivar ‘BCHY-11.026’ has been successfully asexually reproduced under controlled environmental conditions at a nursery in Half Moon Bay, Calif. under the direction of the inventor with its distinguishing characteristics remaining stable.
Asexual reproduction was first accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initially selected plant. Examination of asexually reproduced, successive generations grown in Half Moon Bay, Calif. show that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘BCHY-11.026’ remains firmly fixed.